About Neskowin Ghost Forest
At low tide near Neskowin, the beach can fill with tree stumps.
These are not driftwood remains deposited by recent storms. They are the preserved bases of ancient Sitka spruce trees from a forest that once stood where waves now wash across the sand. Estimates place the stumps at roughly two thousand years old.
For long periods, sand and water concealed much of the ghost forest. Changing beach conditions exposed the stumps again, leaving dark wooden columns scattered near Proposal Rock. Their irregular appearance depends on tide, sand level, season, and surf, so the landscape can look dramatically different between visits.
The forest is best approached when tide conditions make the beach safely accessible. Visitors should check tide tables, avoid climbing on the fragile stumps, and keep an eye on incoming water. The attraction is not a reconstructed scene. The Pacific is revealing the remains of an actual ancient forest whenever conditions allow.